


Bitterly Independent

by MsMelodyPond



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-07
Updated: 2013-11-07
Packaged: 2017-12-31 18:09:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1034785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsMelodyPond/pseuds/MsMelodyPond
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>George's life after Fred dies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bitterly Independent

He'd never felt so disconnected in his life. His family was still in a form of shock. He knew his parents loved him, his baby sister loved him, but they couldn't look at him without crying.

What was almost worse than bringing his family so much pain? He couldn't even look at himself. He always saw /him/. Always. He saw Fred.

He was so angry all the time. He continued Weasley Wizard Whezzes because that's what Fred would have wanted, but he fired his staff because their stupidity disgusted him. If he were right in the head he probably would have smacked himself. How could he be so heartless? Those workers had loved their jobs! And they weren't half bad at it.

But he wasn't right in the head. He still held so much anger and resentment he doubted he would be again.

He knew it wasn't Fred's fault, he knew Fred would never willingly leave him but he couldn't help but blame him. Why did that idiot turn his back? Why had they seperated in the first place? Why did it have to be /him/? 

He'd never get to open that store in Hogsmeade with him, just like they'd always wanted, merge with Zonko's. Or put it out of business. So many plans that he had to go on with out of respect and love for his brother.

He wanted to die. To fall off a cliff or crash into a building on his broom. But he knew Fred wanted more for him. So much more.

He'd never been alone a day in his life, and independence was a foreign concept that he wanted to chuck a rock at.

So he made his way through the day, every day. He never felt himself feel even a little better. Charlie's last words to him always in the back of his mind, "Don't let this be the end of you, George. Live the life he can't." 

They never forced their way to the front until one day, he was sitting behind his desk interviewing hopefuls after another employee had cracked under George's cold presence. When she walked in.  
Her name was Annabell Smith.

 

Nothing particularly special about her, looks were average, height average, intellegence average. Just something about that smile reminded him of his brother. That crooked, warm, smirk that he could never copy. 

 

Months later he cracked his first real smile, a smile that made everyone want to smile right back, made their shoulders sag, tension released. She had been late for work, once again, her cat had hiccups or something. She was falling all over herself apologizing, hoping to God he didn't fire her.

 

Independence as a whole, wasn't so bad, he thought.

**Author's Note:**

> I just recently had a cousin die and I've been thinking about him a lot lately.
> 
> Got me in the mood for something sad.


End file.
